From the Ashes and Into the Storm
by I'd Rather Drown
Summary: What if there hadn't been a car accident at the end of Season 1? The boys and their father are at it together, and maybe things will turn out different this time.
1. What If The Car Hadn't Been Crashed?

**So... I'm going waaay back because I decided to rewatch all of Supernatural starting from the very beginning in honor of the 200th episode, because I only started watching consecutively this season. Yeah, Imma dork. But whatever. So, I'm kinda completely rewriting everything after season 1. Because in my opinion, if the car crash hadn't happened, then everything would be different. **

**Everything. **

**And I know it's a huge risk writing for a fandom that I don't know EVERYTHING about, and so many people are probably gonna be like "but what about this" and "that's not how Dean/Sam would act" and blah, blah blah. All I'm hearing is Charlie Brown's parents from you guys. I accept suggestions, not complaints. There's a big difference between "Well, in this situation so-and-so did this, so maybe add something like that in?" and "Yeah, that's not how that goes. So fix it." Learn it, people. Learn it. **

**Yeah. Rant over. Any-whoo... Here's this monster I'm starting. **

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><p>The car raced down the two-lane highway, high-beams reflecting off the yellow road divider. A doe lifted her head from the noise of the muffler, causing her ears to twitch. As the car sped by, her brown eyes became a glassy yellow. Eyes still wide, she lowered her head and continued to graze the grass she was standing on.<p>

In the backseat of the car, a young man lay breathing heavily. Dried blood, which looked black in the darkness, was caked all over him. Faintly, he heard the conversation of the driver and the front seat passenger, both of whom were beat just as badly as he was. They were speaking harshly, but with low voices. Rolling his eyes slightly, he shut them tighter. The speed his brother was going didn't help his nausea. Losing a vast amount of blood would do that to you.

He heard a horn blare, and tires skidding. Flashing his eyes open, he saw his brother and father, knuckles white from holding onto various things in the vehicle. The car was stopped, lying horizontally on the road. Behind them was the faint red glare of taillights as the huge truck continued away.

"That's what you get for reckless driving, Sammy," the man in the passenger seat hissed, gritting his teeth.

The younger man glared out of the corner of his eyes. "Excuse me for trying to save hemophiliac back there."

_Who, me?_ He raised an eyebrow, shutting his eyes as he heard the tires rotate and his brother hit the gas.

Behind his closed lids, Dean could feel the burn of the fluorescent lights in the hospital. He was vaguely aware of the machines and the noises they made, little beeps and mechanical stuff that soon drifted away. He recognized the familiar feeling of needles being inserted, and he also knew of the euphoric sense created when his favorite sedative slipped through his veins. He didn't even know when he was being wheeled to surgery, or when they had to wake his sleeping father to get his blood type because Dean Winchester wasn't listed in any of the hospital records.

But he was awake when the hot nurse came sauntering into the room the next morning.

"Good morning, Mr. Winchester. I'm just here to check your vitals." The brunette smiled, her deeply browned skin standing out in the crisp light.

Dean chuckled. "Oh trust me, my vitals are just fine." He watched as a heavy blush appeared on her brown cheeks, and he smirked at her firm rear when she leaned over the sink in his room to wash her hands. She glanced over the machines hooked up to his arm and nodded to herself. Pulling a post-it pad and a pen from the pocket on her shirt scrub, she scribbled down some numbers and attached it to the dry erase board on the wall. Writing in those same numbers next to the words printed on it, she turned back to Dean.

"The doctor will be in a second to let you know when you can leave. Your dad and brother are in the waiting room. Er, they should be." She smiled at him and left the room, and he closed his eyes. He heard the door shut and started thinking about the previous night.

The demon was still alive. Still alive and probably possessing someone else to come after them. _Is it the doctor? Will it take over me? Sammy?_ Thousands of thoughts were running through his head, and they stopped when the door opened. Flashing his eyes open, he was faced with another hot woman. Except she was a bit older than he liked.

"Good morning, Dean. I'm just here letting you know that we've completed all the transfusions you need. You can leave as soon as you sign the discharge paperwork. Just try to stay away from bear hunting for a while, okay?" She smiled, patting his foot. Sliding his chart onto the edge of his bed, she pulled out some folded clothes from the cabinet in his room. "Here are your clothes from the other day. I had the nurses wash them for you. There's a shower in the adjoined room if you feel up to moving that much."

He nodded, watching as she gave a final smile and walked out of the room. Groaning to himself, Dean limped his way over to the bathroom and started the shower. Once he was finished, he slipped on his clothes and wound his way out to his room. Both his father and his brother were waiting for him. Sam was sitting in the chair next to his bed, reading some old book with yellowed pages, and his father was standing by the window, staring out into the sunlight. Upon hearing shuffling, both men looked towards the sound, and greeted Dean with huge smiles. "I'm fine," Dean muttered.

"Good. Ready to get outta here?" John Winchester had gained a lot more grey hairs throughout the course of two days, but that was beside the point. His eyes and his smile were as young as when he and his late wife had gotten married; Dean remembered this from when he would look at his father's old photos.

"Yeah." Dean grabbed his bag. He followed the two men out, winking at the nurse sitting at her station. She blushed back, rolling her eyes slightly. John gave his son a smirk while Sam shook his head. They clambered into the Impala, with Sam at the wheel. _What? Why him? It's my damn car._

"You can drive when you feel better," John murmured, glancing at his son in the side-view mirror.

"I feel better now," Dean grunted. John chuckled.

"Right. Well, rest up, kid. We have work to do."

"What kind of work?"

"Well, we need to find that damn demon. And... we need to preoccupy ourselves as well."

Sam glanced over at his father. "Meaning what, exactly?"

"I'll go back to strict research while you boys get out there and hunt some more. You need to play up your strengths and fix your weaknesses."

"So we're splitting again? We just talked about this at the hospital, Dad. You said no more."

"I changed my mind. I've been taken by that demon once, it means I'm more susceptible to it again. And I'm not dragging you two into this anymore than you already are."

"Excuse me, but I think we're too damn far into it," Dean interjected, venom laced into his voice. "I mean, I kinda just got outta the hospital from excessive blood loss from this _thing_ beating the shit outta me."

"Exactly. And that can't happen again." John stared out the window at the trees flying by. "Where are we even going?"

"I don't know," was Sam's honest response after a few seconds of deliberation. "Anyone have any suggestions?"

"Back to that damn cabin so I can get my truck and go," John muttered. Sam shook his head.

"No way. You're not getting out of this, Dad. We're all in this. Together."

Dean chuckled. If it weren't for the dreading feeling that was making a nest in the pit of his stomach, he would say things were going on just fine.


	2. What If Harvelle Intros Were Different?

**Yeah, it's been a while. I know. But I've been rewatching season 2 in order to fully understand everything some more and try to work everything into how I want. So... Yeah. **

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><p>It had been silent for over three hours in the car. Sam and John had gotten into a huge debacle over which burger joint to go into, and Dean told them that if neither of them had anything nice to say, then they shouldn't say anything at all.<p>

And so they hadn't.

It was nice. Quiet. Nothing more than soft classic rock filtering out of the speakers of the Impala. Sure, the tension was so thick you could cut a knife with it, but Dean didn't mind. It just meant that the drive would be even longer.

Even though he was focused intently on the road, Dean didn't miss the sound of his father's phone ringing. He heard Sam perk up in the backseat. Who would be calling at this time of night?

"Hullo?" John's deep voice murmured. "Yeah. We're about four hours out." He inhaled slowly. "Well. Consider us there in two." He snapped the phone shut and turned to his eldest son. "Take the next exit coming up on your right."

Two hours later, after sunup and a cheap McDonald's breakfast, John and his boys pulled in front of a backwoods bar with the name "Harvelle's Roadhouse" painted on the wooden exterior.

There were a lot of cars in the parking lot; most of them recognized by John. Smiling to himself, noticing the one person he needed to see through the windows, he instructed the boys to follow him after they grabbed their stuff. "We'll be staying here for a few days."

As he ventured inside, Sam glanced at Dean as the grabbed duffels and weapons from the trunk. "Have you ever been here before?"

"Nope."

Inside, everything had become quiet. Most of the men sitting there were appalled. There, standing in the doorway was none other than the infamous John Winchester. Clearing his throat, he moved towards the bar, and all of the other customers went back to what they were originally doing.

Joanna Harvelle watched as John leaned over the bar and spoke lowly with her mother. It had been years since she had seen John; since her father died, actually. He had aged a lot, but not as much as he probably should have. After finishing wiping down the table that had just had beer spilled on it, Joanna made her way to the kitchen where Ash slid a basket of fries with ketchup at her. "John Winchester's here."

"Oh?" Ash took off his gloves long enough to itch the back of his head. Joanna winced. That age old mullet was going to get shaved off if he pissed her off enough. "Bring his boys with him?"

"He's got boys?"

Ash stared at her pointedly. "Ellen probably never wanted you to meet those fine lookin' suckers."

Joanna raised an eyebrow. "Whatever. Just grab one of the special beers from the fridge for me real quick."

"Sure thing, buttercup." Joanna turned her head back. Directly in her eyesight, Joanna watched two hunters toss beer at each other, seething at the mouths. "Need anything else?"

"Nah." Just as Joanna was grabbing the freshly opened beer from Ash she heard her mother yell.

"JO!"

"Ellen's gotta son?" Sam hissed at his brother. Dean shrugged as both of them continued to watch the argument in front of them. For some reason, Ellen couldn't seem to get through to them. John just chuckled as he stared at the variety of liquor before him. But then, both of them stifled a gasp as they watched what transpired before them.

Joanna walked out from behind the bar and tossed the basket of fries on the first table she came to. Then, nodding at John to her mom, she slid the beer so it his right knuckles. She barely even noticed the two young adults staring, oblivious to John's smirk. Grabbing two other beers from her mom, she walked over to the table where one guy was ferociously yelling in some foreign language (was it German?). Slamming down the beers on the table, both men stopped clawing at each other and stared at the blonde in the shorts and plaid button up.

"Drink. And then leave."

"Says who?" one of the men, a tall burly bald man with a vein bulging out from his neck, asked.

"Me. Now, seriously. Get." Joanna nodded to the door.

"I think you're gonna have to curb the attitude, bitch," he hissed.

"Fine then." Joanna shrugged, turning around. As she made a move to walk away, the man started chuckling. The next thing he knew, there was a knife pinning his shirt (and himself) to the wooden wall. "You owe me a new knife," she hissed. One of the men on the other side of the bar whistled and she winked at him. Meanwhile, the burly man was struggling to get his short arm high enough the pull the knife out from the wall as most of the men started laughing.

"Thanks," Ellen murmured as she handed Jo another rag to go clean another table with. After smiling kindly at her mom, she moved to go take care of the table.

Dean and Sam stared at each other. "I guess that was Jo?" Dean whispered.

"She's definitely become a spitfire," John said to Ellen as she slid his sons more beer.

She chuckled. "And somehow she remembers what you liked to drink."

"I guess it runs in the family."

Nodding, Ellen reached under the bar and slapped a manilla folder down at him. "This is information about a case that came up a couple of weeks ago. Involves some kinda clown."

Sam blanched. "Did someone say clowns?"

Ellen nodded. "What, afraid of the big tent, son?"

John laughed. "Just a little too much."

"He's really trying, isn't he?" Dean laughed, nodding at the burly man, who continued to struggle. Turning back around, he watched as Jo went about her business around the bar. She balanced empty plates and cups in her arms while laughing with customers, just like a real waitress. She seemed... young. _Really young_. Too young to be here, at the Roadhouse.

"Hey, Dean. Did you hear Dad?" Sam asked.

Dean turned back around, staring at his brother. "No. What's up?"

"We're gonna take a case a few hours from here. It's a circus ghost. Sound good?"

"I thought we were gonna stay here a few days?"

"We'll stay tonight."

"You guys are welcome to keep some of your stuff in a couple of rooms. I always have space," Ellen offered, cleaning the space of the bar next to Dean.

John nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Ellen."

"Well, it's the least I can do." She nodded her head back towards the way that Jo had disappeared.

"How'd she like it?"

"Which thing?"

Sam and Dean watched as the two parents spoke in code. Then Jo returned with another beer for John. This time, instead of having to slide it to him, she walked up in front of him on the other side of the bar and popped the cap off for him. Smiling, flashing pearly white teeth, she handed him the condensating bottle. "Thanks for the knife."

"I see you've put it to good use." John smirked, nodding his head towards where the burly man looked like he was either about to cry or throw something. A couple of men were pulling on it, trying to pry it from the wood.

Joanna scowled. "I swear to God, if they break my damn knife..."

"Wait, you bought her that knife?" Dean asked. "You wouldn't even buy _me_ that knife."

"Jo's better with knives than you are. I wasn't gonna waste my money," John muttered. Dean rolled his eyes.

Finally, Joanna noticed the two young guys sitting next to John. "Who're these guys?" she asked her mom.

Ellen smiled, "Joanna Beth, meet John's two boys. Sam and Dean."

"Well, hiya." Jo smiled. "You boys need a refill?" _Ash was right. They really are fine._

"Some whiskey would be great," Dean muttered.

"I'll just take another beer," Sam added.

Joanna nodded and looked at her mom. "I'll be right back."

"She seems really nice, Ellen," Sam complimented. Ellen beamed.

"She _seems_ really young," Dean muttered. This time, Ellen scowled.

"She's grown up here. She's in her third year at Kent State. Hates it. I think she's going to drop out soon."

John snorted. "I told you she would. Complete waste of money."

"Gets her outta my damn hair."

Jo returned with another beer like the one John was nursing. "Here's your beer," she said to Sam. He nodded his thanks. "Here's your whiskey," she said to Dean. He nodded as well. "And because I figured you guys were starving, I brought out some infamous Harvelle fries." She placed a red basket filled with crisp, golden colored fries between the two boys. "On the house." She smiled a bit as they dug in and turned to John. "So how long ya'll here for?"

"Well, your mom is gonna let us stash some of our stuff here while we go on a hunt in Wisconsin."

Jo glared at her mother. "The one I put together?"

"I need you to go back to school. You don't have time to-"

"Whatever." Jo shook her head. "You understand, right, Uncle John?"

"I understand that you wanna drop out."

"Oh, come on. You know I hate school. I'm sure Mom's told you."

"Joanna..." her mother warned.

"You know, Jo, from what your mother's said, it seems as though your college fund was donated to." John eyed her warily.

"So?"

"So, don't waste my money."

Joanna blanched. "But-"

"No buts, Joanna," Ellen hissed. "Go clean that table."

Muttering an inaudible string of curse words, Joanna grabbed the rag from her mom and headed to go wipe the table down. Ellen exchanged glances with John before banging on the bar. "Alright, if you ain't stayin', then get movin'!" Waves of moans were heard throughout the bar as many grabbed their gear and stumbled out. Other wound their way upstairs to the long halls of single rooms. Jo moved her way around, clearing tables and humming lines from "Closing Time."

Sam caught his brother watching before his dad did. Dean seemed to have a taunting look in his eyes, like he was just looking for a way to antagonize her. Jo was oblivious, dancing around like she thought no one was watching. They both heard their dad get up from his barstool and move his way upstairs. Ellen watched as Sam shook his head, nudged Dean, and both boys left their glasses and followed their father. Jo turned just in time to catch Dean whip his head back at her, smart remark on the tip of his tongue. Instead all that came tumbling out of his mouth was, "Night, Blondie." She glowered. _Really? Blondie? Smooth._

"Jerk," she whispered, grabbing his tumbler.

When she got up in the morning to start prepping for the civilian lunch rush, they were gone.

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><p><strong>Okay, so it's been a while. And seeing Jo as an occurring character would've been great, but, of course, stupid fangirls made that difficult. I'd so much rather see the characters happy in a relationship than not. So, Jo's gonna be a regular in this. Because she deserves continuous character development. <strong>

**Well, leave a review! You know you want to!**


	3. What If John Told Jo the Truth?

**Because I'm on Winter Break and have to do lots of homework before my finals... I've been on a writing kick and... Well, I'm giving you guys another update. Which, you should know I'm sporadic with my updates. Ha. **

**Thanks to those of you who have left a review! It means a lot to know people are actually reading my stuff. And I understand I have a lot ahead of me. And it kinda freaks me out. But I think I'm gonna skip around episodes and stuff... Kinda weed out the episodes/hunts I don't wanna use. So don't murder me, guys. Don't murder me.**

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><p>"Are you serious, John?" Ellen screamed, throwing the closest thing to her at him. "You let your asshole sons use my baby girl as bait? Where are they?"<p>

"_Relax_, Ellen. They're saving her and stopping this guy. Relax." John picked up the candle holder that rested at his feet and put it back on the coffee table. "Trust me. When this is all over I'm putting her stubborn ass on the first train to Ohio."

Ellen sighed, sitting on the armrest of the sleek brown couch in the newly furnished apartment. Her hands were shaking, and all she could think about was whether or not her baby girl was safe. In her mind, she could see her precious little girl, pale blonde hair in pigtails bouncing as she ran out from Ellen's truck and into the Roadhouse after a school day. She'd sit on her daddy's lap and listen to him tell her stories about the things that go bump in the night, all while Ellen would clean tables and prepare the food for the waves of hunters that would stop by. _Please let my baby girl be safe. _"She didn't tell you?" she murmured quietly, staring down at the carpet.

"Tell me what?" John sat down in one of the dining room chairs, looking at Ellen through narrowed eyes.

"She officially dropped out. She was three classes away from graduating."

John blanched. "The hell she did."

"She really did, John. She really did. Another Harvelle, wasting their life."

A cell phone rang, its shrewd tone piercing the tense air. "Dean? Tell me everything's okay... Yeah? Okay. Meet you down there in five." He shoved his phone in his pocket and grabbed his coat and duffel, motioning to Ellen to do the same. "They're ready."

When Joanna saw her mother, she tensed up. "Mom," she breathed.

"Get in the car, Joanna Beth," she hissed, holding the door open for her daughter. Jo sighed, cramming into the driver's side of the backseat. Her mother was scrunched between her and Sam, with Dean and John riding in the front. Dean fired up the engine, and no one said a word.

Until they started passing through Ohio.

"Dean, take this exit," John instructed him.

"Uh..." Dean glanced at him quizzically.

"Just do it," he muttered.

Dean, doing as he was told, glanced back in the rearview mirror. Jo was looking out the window, her face growing in recognition as the car went the different directions John motioned for Dean to do with military command signals.

"Oh no. Pull the car over," Joanna hissed, turning to glare at her mother. "Dean, pull the car over." She watched John shake his head as Dean glanced at his father. "Dean, please."

"Sorry, Jo," he murmured, looking in his mirror, making contact with her dark brown eyes.

"Is this a bad time to say I'm hungry and have to pee?" Sam asked, anxiously glancing at the other passengers in the car. His tall form made it awkward sitting in the backseat; his large knees kept hitting the back of John's seat.

"YES!" All four other passengers exclaimed, causing Sam to jump.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking out the window at the unfamiliar college town.

In the dark, Kent seemed pretty bland. The usual feel of a college campus was evident in the style of buildings all around, and up ahead, Sam could see the football stadium, lit up like a Christmas tree. Smiling to himself, he remembered his days in California, attending classes and games with his friends. Actually, the homecoming game was where he met Jessica. She had bumped into him and almost dropped her soda can, but Sam had caught it before it hit the floor, all while balancing his beer.

And then she had been murdered on his apartment ceiling.

Dean pulled up into a staff parking lot, where most of the students parked at night since they couldn't get towed. Jo wasted no time in getting out, and she started walking back the way she came. Dean and Sam stayed by the Impala as John and Ellen chased after her.

"Why don't they just let her be?" Sam asked, walking over to the driver's side to join Dean. They watched as the three argued. It was hard to hear them over the loud cheers from the stadium and the music from one of the college bars.

"Because no one deserves to do any of this," Dean answered, shaking his head.

"But she wants to."

"That doesn't matter. Sometimes people need to be sent away in order to protect them."

"So? She doesn't want protection."

"Sammy, I didn't tell you, but before she was... kidnapped," Dean paused, wincing at the thought, "we spoke about how her mother was just trying to protect her. Trying to keep her from dying like her father. You should've seen her face. She was determined. But then, when she was being kidnapped," he winced again, "her voice was... so _afraid_. She wasn't expecting to get hurt."

"I saw her face when we rescued her, Dean. I know." Sam's voice held a bit of an attitude.

Dean glared at him. "No, you don't _know_, Sammy. You didn't hear her voice. In that moment, it reminded me of so many times when we were younger. It-" He stopped suddenly, kicking off the side of the Impala, contemplating whether to run of stay right there. Sam followed his eyes, watching.

"I HATE YOU!" Joanna suddenly screamed, reaching out and shoving John. When he didn't fall down the first time, she shoved him again, causing him to land on the ground. Raising her booted foot to kick him, Ellen grabbed Jo by the elbows, pulling her back.

"DAD!" Dean barked, rushing forward towards his father. Pulling him up, he seethed towards Joanna. "Why the _hell_ would you push him?"

"You bastard!" Joanna hissed, spitting at John. "Was that why you were being so nice? The knives, the college fund?"

"Jo... You have to understand..." John pleaded.

Jo wrenched her arms out of her mother's and swung at him. Decking him in the face, she heard his nose crack. She let out another angry scream, high pitches lingering through the night. Sam and Dean both helped their father stand up. "Did you two know?" Dean and Sam looked between each other. "Did you?"

"Know what?"

"That... that..." Joanna was suddenly out of breath. Wavering back and forth, Ellen draped an arm around her to steady her.

"Go sit down," Ellen suggested, nodding towards the curb. Jo nodded, moving slowly away from everyone. She sat down on the curb, her head between her knees to keep her from throwing up. She felt her shoulders shake as the tears flowed freely.

"Dad?" Sam asked as the three helped John towards the Impala. John leaned against the shell of the car, hand clutching his nose. As Dean shuffled through the trunk for the first aid kit, Ellen put a hand on each of her hips.

"Well? You gonna tell 'em?"

John sighed. "Many years ago, once when you boys were staying at Bobby's, I had Ellen's husband Bill help me out with a hunt. I was hunting the demon that killed your mom, and we thought that the werewolf would have some information. Except, I realized the demon wasn't there." He paused looking Ellen in the eyes. "I told Bill to get outta there. But he never did."

"So, you involuntarily killed Bill?" Sam asked for clarification.

John nodded. "Basically. I apologized a few years later to Ellen, explaining in detail everything that happened. I couldn't let go of the family I had there, especially Jo. I saw so much potential in her."

Ellen sighed, looking at Sam and Dean. "I told John not to teach my girl to hunt. Just to defend herself. So, he did. Sadly, she had already learned too much from her daddy, as well as all the other hunters that came by the bar. I told her she needed to graduate high school and at least attend college. She was so close to finishing..." She turned to look at Jo, who was still crying.

"So was she right? Were you giving her blood gifts?" Dean asked, his voice low. If Sam didn't know any better, he would've sworn that there was anger in his voice.

John looked over at his eldest son. "I guess you could say that. I just wanted to make sure she didn't revel in her father. When you didn't go to college, I had all this money saved up. Sam had all of his to use, but there was a lot left for you. Your mother and her family helped out with that a lot. I didn't have anyone else to give it to. So I anonymously gave it to Jo. I didn't mean to keep it from her for this long, but I've been busy-"

"You were so busy tracking a demon that you didn't even stop to apologize to a girl for killing her father?" Dean asked, glaring over at his father. "See, this is what Sammy keeps talking about. You neglected your family duties in order to chase this damn thing. This thing we don't know a damn thing about anymore."

"Dean..."

"No, Dad. Not right now." Tossing the first aid kit at Sam, he started walking across the parking lot to Joanna.

"Looks like you've screwed up a lot, Winchester," Ellen remarked.

"Oh, shut it, Ellen," he hissed, closing his eyes from the pain as Sammy swabbed rubbing alcohol over his nose.

Joanna stared through her fingers. Her sight was murky; and the dingy blonde hair she was sporting at the moment wasn't helping, either. She hadn't had a shower in days, and she was sure she reeked of salt and sewer from being held captive. Towards her left, Jo was aware of heavy, booted footsteps coming her way. _It better not be John_. Off in the near distance, she heard the crowd cheer. Whoever they were playing tonight, well, they were obviously losing. For a brief second, the noise reminded Joanna of her freshman year at Kent. Everything was good then. Sure, most kids thought of her as the freak with the knife collection, but others thought it was cool. Over the years, she'd taught a couple of self defense classes for free on campus, and she enjoyed the few friends she had.

"You smell pretty bad." Dean's low alto voice rang in her ears. She ignored him and continued to stare down at the pavement. "Looks like someone's gotta stick up 'er ass."

She acknowledged him then, glaring up at him through long eyelashes. He widened his eyes in fear. Dean knew a little bit about a woman's scorn, but he'd never stuck around long enough to bear witness to it. "Go screw yourself behind that tree, Winchester."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. Jo shook her head, snorting. "What?"

"I just find it funny."

"Find what funny?"

"That I just found out your father killed mine, and you have the nerve to tell me I have a stick up my ass."

"Well, that was supposed to be the point." Dean smirked, his eyes lighting up a bit.

Jo smiled a little. "You can still go screw yourself."

"Oh trust me, with my luck, that'll have to happen for the next couple of weeks."

Her smiled turned to a scowl. "Okay, I didn't need to know that."

"Oh well. Looks like you do now."

"I guess so." Jo looked over and watched her mother walk towards them. "I think you better move. Your family looks ready to leave." She nodded towards the Impala, where Sam was sitting in the front seat and John was waiting against the back seat driver's side door. Dean nodded, getting up.

"Thanks for saving my girl," Ellen whispered as she hugged Dean. "Don't go getting yourself killed, now." She smiled as she helped Jo up.

"I won't. I'll call you guys, okay?" Dean smiled down at the two women, his eyes resting on Jo. Turning, he headed towards the Impala and climbed in. "I'm not speaking to you," he told his father as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the spot. His father nodded. As they drove away, Dean glanced in the rearview mirror at the two women hugging each other in the middle of the Kent State parking lot. He couldn't help but smile sadly as he remembered the look Jo's eyes held.

The sparkle was gone.

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><p><strong>Okay, so...? I like taking things and completely reworking them. Sorry if this didn't remind you guys of what the real episode was like. I didn't want to rewrite the whole thing, and I wanted to make it mine. So sue me. <strong>

**Leave a review guys!**


	4. What If Jo Didn't Listen to Dean?

**So, once again, I'm back. More reviews would be great. I get it; I really don't review much either. But still. It'd be nice to know people are actually reading my stuff. Especially all of you who have hit the "Favorite" or "Follow" buttons. **

**Anyways... Here's my version of _Born Under a Bad Sign._ Oh, and I know that the first two lines aren't really Sam's words. Sorry if my memory sucks a little. **

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><p><em>"What do you really know about your dad's death?"<em>

_"He doesn't really like you."_

Jo replayed the words in her head as she stitched Dean's shoulder. He hissed as she threaded the needle through with one hand. She moved her other hand from steadying his shoulder to the bottle of Jack and passed it into his right hand. He took it gratefully, taking a large chug. She watched as he stood up and dragged his shirt sleeve over his bandage and grabbed his coat. "I'm coming with you."

"Oh, no you're not." Dean gave her a pointed look. "This isn't your fight."

"Where's John?" Jo asked, desperately trying to stall him. She felt a closeness to Sam; they were the same age. They both knew what it was like to be left out of things.

"Back at the hotel. Sammy knocked him out cold while I was in the shower." Dean held on to the doorknob.

"Why?" Jo asked, leaning forward as though she was about to run. Her hand was perched up on the table, fingertips barely resting on it.

"Because Sam's possessed."

"I know that, smart one. I mean, why would someone possess him?"

"Look, Jo, this really isn't your fight. Now, if you move a muscle, I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands; that's just how it's gonna be. " Dean opened the door and stepped halfway out. "I'll call you." He shut the door behind him, his eyes pleading with her to stay where she was.

"No you won't," she muttered, turning around and clearing the stuff off the table. After emptying the cash drawer, she turned off the lights and left, running so she could match his time. Dammit if she was gonna let a Winchester tell her what to do.

Meanwhile, Dean sped down the country highway. He kept glancing in his rearview mirror, waiting to see Jo's shining stubbornness glaring behind him.

But it never came.

John grumbled in the backseat, moving the ice pack off his right eye and to his left temple. "Why isn't Jo with us?"

"Get some more rest, Dad. You're gonna need it when we find Sammy." Dean glared at his dad through the rearview.

"Look, if Sam... Or whoever this is... Is going after hunters... It'll be a matter of time before he goes back for Jo." John sat up. "In fact, leaving is probably what he wanted us to do."

"I don't believe it, Dad. There are plenty of other hunters out there. Jo can take care of herself."

"Do you really think that? Because from what you told me, I don't think what transpired at the bar showed her ability to do so."

"No, Dad. The demon has moved on." Dean paused, glancing at familiar highway signs. "Which hunter's house is closest to here?"

John looked around. It was hard to figure out where he was in the dark. Usually, his directional senses were great at night, but with his most recent assault, his brain wasn't working up to par. This in turn was his main reason for wanting to head back. It would give him more time to rest up; he would give his son that. Dean was right when he said he needed sleep. "Bobby's, I think."

Dean cursed under his breath. "Son of a bitch. Call Bobby for me, will ya?"

John sighed. "Okay." But when he dialed Bobby, all he got was a busy tone. Shutting his phone he peered at Dean through the rearview. "It was busy."

"Shit," Dean hissed, pressing further down on the gas.

However, both men were unaware that it was Jo on the phone with Bobby.

Racing through the backroads shortcuts, Jo was frantically trying to press Bobby's speed dial into her phone while keeping her eyes on the windy, two-lane road. In front of her, all she could see was the yellow double-lane divider, the white-yellow glow her headlights created, and the darkness surrounding her. "Bobby? Hey. It's Jo. Look, Sam's possessed. I don't know by who, but they're nasty. Real mean. You're the closest to where I was, and Sam attacked me, so he's coming for you next."

Inside his house, Bobby Singer was drinking a beer and watching an old Super Bowl game when his cell phone rang. "Hello?" He became silent, listening to Joanna as she relayed her information. He asked her some more questions, and ended the call by asking her where she was. "Go back there, Jo... You think I care about what you want right now?... Dean was right, you need to stay outta this... Whaddya mean, you're almost here? Fine. Just stay low, okay?" He clicked his phone shut and salted his windows. Grabbing his rifle, he moved his chair to in front of the door, waiting.

Joanna arrived to Bobby's house sometime early in the morning. Clambering out of her car, which she had spent thousands of her hard earned money on, Jo took a brief survey of her surroundings. She knew demons were completely inhuman and could cause their meat suits to have unthinkable abilities, but she doubted Sam-or whatever he was-made it there before she did. Grabbing her duffel, as well as a pistol loaded with rock salt bullets, she headed up the steps for Bobby's house. She knocked on the door three times (the emergency knock he had taught Joanna when she was a kid), and he immediately answered it. She rushed inside, sensing the look if sleepiness in his eyes. She heard him lock the door behind her while she tossed her stuff on the couch. "You've got quite the setup right here."

"Well, I needed to keep myself awake. Beer seems to help with that," Bobby joked, handing her a fresh bottle. She smiled, twisting the cap off and taking a swig. "Your mom know you're here?"

"Nope. I'm pretty sure Ash is giving her a false trail to where I really am, but I doubt she believes him."

"She told me about the talk you had with John."

Jo snorted. "Talk? More like one-sided scream fest."

"Wanna talk about it? We got nothin to do while we wait for this sucker."

"Nah. Imma go set my stuff up upstairs. I wanna make sure he doesn't know I'm here to warn you."

"I think the car outside is a dead give away, darlin'." Bobby nodded towards the front of his house and out the front window, where Jo's new car was parked.

Joanna shrugged. "Whatever. Tell him the dealer ripped me off and I needed some engine work done or something and that I'm on a new hunt." She turned and went upstairs to deposit her stuff on a spare bed. As she was turning to head back down, she heard the front door open. Voices drifted up to her.

"Hey, Sammy! How are ya, son?" Jo could practically hear the smile on Bobby's face. Hopefully he'd had enough time to move everything so it didn't look like he was waiting for him.

"Hey, Bobby. I'm alright. How're you?" The fakeness was evident in Sam's voice, too. Joanna winced. That wasn't the Sammy she knew.

"I'm good, I'm good. Come on in, son. Wanna beer?" Joanna heard Bobby making his way to the built-in panic room he had and fixed him and Sam a couple of beers.

"So, is Jo here by any chance? I saw her car out front."

"Aw, naw, man. You just missed her. She came in freakin' out because the car dealership ripped her off. Said her fancy new car needs engine work. I told her I'd fix it, but that she needed to get something older with more stability." Joanna crossed her fingers that Bobby didn't talk too much. Sometimes it was easier to figure out lies that way.

"Oh, yeah. Dean would probably be able to help you," Sam said as he accepted the beer Bobby gave him. Joanna stayed right where she was, not wanting to make any of the old wooden floorboards creek. Suddenly, she heard choking. Leaning forward, she thought about it. If Sam had figured it out, he'd already be up there. Considering the choking she heard, Jo figured Bobby had given him straight holy water.

"That's holy water, you son of a bitch," Jo heard Bobby mutter. Taking this as her cue, Jo grabbed some weapons and headed downstairs where Bobby was tying up Sam in the middle of one of his many miscellaneous rooms. Glancing up, she smirked at the Devil's Trap imprinted on the ceiling. Bobby, always resourceful.

"Nice going. This bastard's not gonna know what hit 'em," she remarked, placing her weapons on the table. Outside, she heard the Impala rumble to a stop. When the engine cut, she braced herself for the Hell she was about to receive from both men as they rushed through the door.

"Oh, good, Bobby. We thought since the phone line was-" Dean stopped short when he saw Jo standing there, leaning against the table. "Didn't I tell you to stay at the damn bar?"

"What was I gonna do? Stay there so he knew where to find me when he came back? I thought you were smart, Dean," she hissed, walking towards the beer that had been Sam's. "Okay, guys, let's get this show on the road." Jo moved the beer bottle like she was about to douse Sam with it, but John stopped her.

"See that on his arm?" He motioned to the weird symbol on Sam's forearm. "That will keep this thing in him as long as it's on his skin."

Joanna nodded. "So how do we get it off? Slice it with a knife?"

"I'm not sure. I wish I knew." John sighed slightly, staring at his unconscious son. There, in that subdued state, everyone saw how much of a toll this was taking on Sam's body. Everyone regarded Sam as the strong one, and not just because of his height. Dean was tough as nails on the outside, always thinking like the soldier John raised him to be, but Sam was different. He weighed out the consequences of choices presented to him, and he knew when to make the difficult decisions. He dealt with them by being honest, not bottling them like his brother and father. Then again, Sam didn't have to be an adult as a child. Each person eyed him differently in that moment: Bobby, as the son who had seen too much; Joanna, as the friend who looked out for her; Dean, as the little brother who was the man he never could be; and John, as the son who never listened but was courageous all the same. All four looked at each other wearily, not knowing what to do. Each, wondering who was going to start the pain.

Joanna sighed. "I guess we keep him unconscious until we can figure out what to do?"

The three guys nodded. Turning, each raided Bobby's never ending library until they were submersed in books, trying to find a solution.

"Here!" Dean exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. The sudden movement caused Jo's stack of books to tumble over, colliding with the floor in a loud thud.

Each person glanced over at the sleeping demon. Sam jumped a bit, but he also just slumped his head farther over, a snore emitting from between his lips.

"The bastard's snoring. Wow," Dean commented, shaming his head. The other three shot him daggers, warning him to be more careful next time.

"What did you find?" John asked, carefully maneuvering his way through the book maze towards his son. He nodded after reading what Dean showed him. "Sounds great. Looks like this is gonna be a little easier than I thought." After showing the other two adults the plan, they set to work.

Sam's eyes shot open as he was doused with holy water. The searing pain he felt coursed through his body, causing him to see red. "Aaah!"

"Ready to start talking, bitch?" Joanna hissed, leaning forward so her hair cascaded around Sam.

He smiled wickedly. "Sorry, not Sam."

"Oh, that's okay. Not like it really matters anyways." Jo stood up and walked away from the demon in Sam's meat suit. "All yours, Bobby."

Bobby stepped forward and started chanting in Latin. As he did, the demon smiled. Dean grimaced. He would never get used to that smile. It was wicked; something Sam wasn't. He looked towards the corner, where John stood waiting. Hopefully no one would get banged up too bad today.

He was vaguely aware of Joanna taunting it, and he also saw the ceiling crack. But what he wasn't expecting was to be thrown against a wall and repeatedly punched in the face. Now it was his turn to see red. Blood was spurting everywhere, and he heard Joanna's screams as the demon tormented her telepathically.

"You know, Hell sucks, even for a demon," Sam hissed, continuing to punch Dean. "And you sent me back there."

"Meg?" Dean choked out, spurting blood from between his teeth.

Sam laughed maniacally. "Who else?"

Suddenly, a searing noise was made as something cut through the air and Sam screamed. Dean watched through hooded eyelids as the black smoke erupted from Sam's mouth and up through the fireplace. As he collapsed to the ground, all became quiet. Joanna's labored breathing sounded alarm bells in Dean's ears as his eyes fought to stay open. Regardless of his efforts, he heard his father and Bobby rush to help all three young ones upstairs.

Hours later, Dean awoke with a start. He was in one of Bobby's spare bedrooms; actually, the one he would stay in when he and Sam would be here while their dad hunted. The ceiling fan turned slowly, and the open window let in a cool breeze for mid-June. The sunlight filtered in, causing him to blink a few more times. Realizing how dry his throat was, Dean reached to the bedside table to his right and grabbed the glass of water waiting for him. Slowly, he sat up.

John leaned up against the doorframe, watching his son through tired eyes. Now maybe that both of his sons were okay, he could get some sleep. "Feelin' okay, soldier?"

"Never better," Dean muttered, rubbing his temples. His head was aching like a bitch, but aspirin would only make him feel lethargic.

"Good. Get movin'. We have a long ride ahead. I need you alert to drive." John pushed himself off the doorframe and walked downstairs. Sam was sitting with Bobby, going over the different charms he was giving him to outfit the Impala with, and Joanna was drinking a bottle of water to get rid of her ridiculous hangover from the large intake of alcohol earlier in the day to keep her awake. Chuckling to himself, he went to sit next to the girl that was like his niece.

"I'm sorry, by the way," he said, staring out the window above her head.

Jo shrugged. "Whatever you're apologizing for, it's okay."

"Everything. Your father, not telling you the truth, making you go to school..."

"Well, you'll be happy to know I graduated in May," Jo muttered, taking another sip of her water bottle.

"Good. Now you can hunt full time. You upheld my part of the bargain with your mom."

"Whatever. I only came to help out because Sam is the nice one. And I love Bobby like he's like my dad." She stood. "I better get going if I want to get back. My boss is probably going to freak that I took all her money."

"Keep that nice car in check, Joanna Beth," John remarked as he walked her to the door.

She smiled. "Now you sound like my mother."

"Well, even if I'm a sucky father, I still have parental intuition."

"Like how your son's a dick?" Joanna looked up at the man with piercing green eyes descending the stairs.

John chuckled. "Just like his dad. We'll see you around?"

"I'm only a phone call away." Jo fished her keys out of her pocket and nodded good-bye to Bobby. He smiled back as she walked out the door.

As Joanna reached her car, she heard her name called behind her. When she saw Sam running towards her, she swore she felt herself involuntarily deflate a little. She flinched as she inched towards the shell of her sleek black car. "Sorry to stop you, but I wanted to... Um..."

"Apologize. It's cool, Sam." Jo smiled. "I'm just glad you're okay."

He nodded. "Look, I was... Awake. For some of it. Mainly when I tied you up." He scratched his head awkwardly as Joanna flinched. "And I wanted to say that what I said, well-"

"It was the demon talking in order to mess with my head. I know. Bobby and John already filled me in while you and knucklehead were sleeping yourselves into next Tuesday." She smiled again.

"Oh. Okay. Well, I hope you get to wherever you're going okay." He backed away from her car as she opened her door.

"I will."

"Text me when you get there or if you stop for a hotel so Dean, Dad, and I know you made it there okay," he added.

"You don't have to feel responsible, Sam," she assured him. "But, I will. I know you'll text me back." She smirked a little bit, sliding into her car. Slamming the door, Joanna started it up. It roared to life and suddenly quieted. Winking, she shoved it into drive and sped out of Bobby's lot.

Sam turned, making eye contact with his brother. He walked up to the porch, joining him. They leaned on the white railing, staring at the settling dust that showed Jo's path. "You didn't tell her good-bye."

"I already did," Dean murmured, smiling slightly.

It was never the right place, right time.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, folks. There you have it. <strong>

**Leave a review!**


	5. What If John was Alive when Azazel Died?

**Yeah, I'm definitely skipping around a lot. You see, I normally don't like to reveal my plans, but my goal is to _somehow_ catch up with the show now. Except that's gonna take a lot. So, a lot of skipping. Which means you guys have to do something most readers hate to do: assume. So, use your imagination with the episodes I skip. Kay?**

**Kay. **

**Okay, well, here's my version of the ending of _All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2_ and the time in between Season 3's _The Magnificent_**_ **Seven**_**.**

* * *

><p>Dean laid on the ground staring up at his father. Silently, he locked eyes with his brother. Together, they watched their father.<p>

"You of all people should know that what's dead, should stay dead," Azazel murmured, staring down with John. "And now, your pathetic son has sold his soul just to bring back your other boy. Self-destructive boy sacrificed himself for his family." He paused. "How quaint."

Suddenly, John lunged forward. In a battle for dominance between the two men, John managed to hold Azazel to the ground. Dean hopped up, leaving Sam to watch the struggle. Dean grabbed the Colt, and grimaced slightly as Azazel tossed his father like he was a dainty piece of lettuce. He heard his father grunt and groan as he rolled away from his sons so they couldn't see his pain. Behind him, Dean heard Ellen and Bobby struggling to shut the gates, only to have them press harder back.

Azazel stood, watching as Dean cocked the Colt. With wide eyes, Azazel - and everyone else in the graveyard - heard as the Dean pulled the trigger. The Colt bounced upwards with recoil, and the shot hit Azazel straight in the heart. His eyes opened in surprise, and the meat suit he harbored shook with each flash. Red and orange hues flashed unevenly as the demon fell to the ground; it was as though he had been electrocuted. As the yellow light in his eyes flashed suddenly and then faded, Sam fell from his invisible hold to the tree. Gasping for air, he stood, rushing to his father's aid.

John Winchester allowed his youngest son to raise him up so he was standing. Clutching his side, he watched his son walk over to the demon. In the near distance, he heard Bobby and Ellen slam the gates shut and the meticulous rotating stop. They fell breathless against the double wooden doors, watching as John smiled at his eldest son. The ringing in his ears was still prevalent as he clutched his side. No one had seen it, but when he and the demon had been wrestling, Azazel had taken a chunk out of John's side when he picked him up to toss him across the graveyard. Now, dark red blood had been gushing out of his side; he felt the warm liquid continue to douse his fingertips.

"That was for our mom, you son of a bitch," Dean hissed at Azazel.

"Dean," Sam murmured, touching his brother's shoulder. Dean turned and stared at his father. For the first time since before Mary had died, John Winchester was smiling. _Really _smiling. Tears shone in all three men's eyes as Ellen and Bobby started walking towards them.

"Nice job, son," John said lowly.

Dean smiled. "Thanks."

Sam smiled too, then started to frown. "Was Azazel right, about the deal?"

Dean glanced down at his feet, not wanting to respond. John coughed, causing a little blood to fall onto his hand. Neither boy noticed it as they were too focused on each other.

"You really shouldn't have -"

"Sammy, you were dead. Of course I had to. It's my job." Dean's eyes were insistent, glancing up at his brother.

"No, it's my job," John said, looking between his two sons. "But it seems I never did it correctly, and even though I've gained a son back, I'm losing another one." He glared at Dean. "You're such a dumbass, you know that? Did you honestly think it would make everything -"

"Looks like there's a lot of demons out now," Ellen remarked as she and Bobby joined the three other men, noticing how their voices had risen and were arguing. She eyed John and Dean with curious and motherly eyes, almost daring them to continue arguing in her presence.

"It's an army." Sam looked between all of the other adults.

"Welp, boys, saddle up. Looks like a war has just begun," Bobby remarked, exchanging a weary glance with John.

"I'm gonna go call Jo and warn her," Ellen murmured, fishing her phone out of her pocket and walking through the vast amount of graves. The men heard her voice, speaking low and soft to her only daughter.

Dean popped the trunk open and tossed the Colt into it. "Well, we got work to do."

They waited in the Impala for Ellen and watched as she animatedly described how the attack went down to Jo. She turned then, noticing them waiting for her. Heading over to the car, she clambered into the backseat and continued talking to her daughter. "No, really, Jo. Get your ass outta wherever you are… Don't head to the Roadhouse. Meet me at Bobby's house if it's that important to you… Okay, honey. Bye." Looking at the men, her eyes rested on Bobby. "Jo's gonna meet us at your house. She's in Texas right now."

"Texas?" Sam asked as Dean headed away from the graveyard.

"Yeah. She was hunting some poltergeist or something. I don't know. She just sounded tense, so it must be something big."

"Huh." Sam turned to look out the window. It was then Ellen noticed John's wound.

"Holy shit. We need to get you to a hospital," she remarked, gasping at the intensity of the wound.

"There's no hospital around for miles!" Dean exclaimed, glancing in the rearview at Ellen. _How could I have missed Dad's wound_?

"Well, then, pull over! We need to fix this, now!" Ellen slapped John across the face, causing him to jolt awake. The blood loss was causing him to become very legarthic, and Ellen had been wondering why he hadn't spoken since she had gotten in the car.

"But…"

"Dean," she warned, glaring at him.

He sighed, pulling the car over to the side of the road. Meanwhile, Sam took a map out to look for the closest hospital. Dean was right; it was three hours away. They might as well be asking John for a death wish at that point. "Do we have anything in the trunk to help fix this?"

Dean shook his head.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd been bit by a Hellhoud," Bobby commented, nodding towards John's injury.

"Oh, shuddup, Bobby," John hissed as Ellen applied antiseptic from the tube she found in her pocket to the wound.

"So we have no fishing line or gauze or anything?" Sam asked, desperately trying to fix his father. He just found out he was losing his brother; he wasn't about to lose his father, too.

"I don't know, Sam. I'm kinda not thinkin' about that right now," Dean muttered as he helped Bobby carry John out of the car and onto the ground. Sam opened the trunk, desperately trying to find anything to help patch his father up. Thankfully, the first aid kit was almost fully stocked, and Sam pulled it out, grabbing the necessary supplies.

John tried to suppress the pain he felt while Sam stitched him up._ Damn, I wish I had a beer_, he thought, closing his eyes tightly. Ellen held his hand and made sure his fever didn't go up while Dean and Bobby conversed about what would be the quickest action plan. He smiled to himself as he thought about how he had ended up here. To him, it was funny how things went full circle. Opening his eyes, he stared up into the night sky. In the dark, country road, it was easy to see how well illuminated the sky was with stars. He remembered a time when Dean was younger, before Sammy was born, when Mary would take Dean outside to look at the stars. He came home from a hunt one night and stood against the back porch door, holding a beer and watching her point out the different constellations to Dean. That night was one he always thought of whenever camping out for a werewolf or vampire; usually he was in the country. Mary always had a way with the stars.

That had been a different time.

When he had been a different man.

He smiled a little wider as he felt the guys helping him into the Impala.

xXx

Jo sat in her car in front of Bobby's house, noticing how the Impala wasn't there. It had taken her forever to drive up from Corpus Christi, but she'd made it. And apparently before everyone else. _God, what is taking them so long_? Biting into her deliciously greasy burger from an In-N-Out Burger joint she had passed a couple of hours ago, Jo let her eyes rest on the stereo, which was currently blasting out some weird alternative rock station. It wasn't anything like her beloved REO, or even Nirvana (her coworkers were infamous for jamming out to Nirvana before closing), but it was the only thing coming in, and the new fancy wheels - okay, they _so_ weren't new anymore, but Jo liked to think they were - didn't have a cassette player in the dash. Sure, it had a CD player, but Jo wasn't the type of girl to listen to CDs. The cases were too big, much bigger than cassette cases, and she wasn't in the mood to find time to organize them. Therefore, the radio was her only option. And right now, the only thing that wasn't littered with sporadic static was the alternative station.

Unfortunately.

Glancing at the scattered papers in the seat beside her, Jo smiled as her ultimate victory had been won in Duluth. She'd been stationary there for a while; she even had a steady job and a few close friends. Weirdly, Joanna have somehow fallen in love with the seaport city, filled with its trading docks and semi-urban citizens. Despite the cold winters - and even colder temperatures - Joanna felt a twinge of domesticity in her belly anytime she thought of her one bedroom apartment not less than five minutes away from the bar she worked at. At first, after the whole Sam-being-possessed-thing, Jo hadn't wanted to go back. But she had been there for a reason, not just to get away from her mom. She was hunting something, and that something had fled Duluth, Minnesota and found sanctuary in Corpus Christi, Texas. So, Jo had packed a week-end bag, told her boss she was taking a couple of vacation days, and sped her way down there in her black Mazda3. After twenty-four hours of complete annoyance at not finding the group of incompliant vampires, she finally located them, surrounded them, and attacked. Thankfully, her months-long investigation had come to an end, and the police had reported that (by an "anonymous" tip Jo had called in using her "preppy girl voice") Duluth's recent serial killers had been somehow apprehended by Feds in Texas.

Sure, it seemed a little crazy, but it was right after her apprehension of these nasty criminals that Jo had received a call from her mother, begging her to not hunt anymore and meet her at Bobby's. Of course, Jo didn't agree to the first part, but she did sense the fear in her mother's voice and vowed to meet her there straight away. So, naturally, it came as a surprise to her that there wasn't anyone at Bobby's yet to greet her considering they were heading from Wyoming - which was definitely a shorter drive time than coming from Texas.

Another song popped up on the radio, and Jo leaned forward to turn it up. Surprisingly, the young voice filtering through the system made Joanna smile. She'd heard the song a few different times on the playlist at the bar, and soon she found herself jamming along, banging her palms onto the steering wheel, imitating the drum beat.

John and his boys pulled up to notice the familiar sleek, black car with the shiny silver rims and lightly tinted windows sitting in front of Bobby's house. As ashamed as he was about his kind-of-niece's choice in an un-American made car, he had to admit she saved her money well. The five of them clambered out of the Impala, Ellen chuckling as she noticed her daughter, who was busy nodding along to the beat of whatever weird music she was listening to.

"Is that Jo?" Bobby asked incredulously, watching Jo's small wrists slam against the steering wheel.

"I think the better question is: Is that Jo jamming to Muse?" Sam chuckled, leaning against the body of the Impala. Suddenly, the music cut off as Jo realized who was all watching. Rushing out of her baby, she slammed the driver's side door and walked calmly up to the bunch.

"Why weren't you guys here an hour ago?" She muttered, glaring at them. John and Dean watched with amused eyes as her cheeks became a light pink.

"We got… sidetracked," Ellen excused, nodding to the large piece of gauze and tape on John's side. His shirt was tattered, so Jo could see the whole bandage.

"Oh." She looked pointedly at Bobby, who nodded.

"Alright guys, let's unload and start this plan of ours."

Everyone nodded in agreement, moving to the trunk of the two cars and gathering their stuff. John chuckled when he saw Jo's large duffel bag. "Victoria's Secret, Joanna? I didn't take you as a -"

"It was on sale," she hissed, bumping shoulders with him as she followed her mother and Bobby into his house. The three other men shared amused glances, remembering how tomboyish and tough Jo had tried to be when they were in Philadelphia. Once inside, they all tossed their things into Bobby's numerous guest rooms and met him downstairs in his open kitchen and dining area. "So, does anyone want to fill me in on what's been happening?" Jo asked as she grabbed a beer from Bobby's ridiculously cold fridge. She popped the cap off and sat down on one of the chairs, straddling it.

The group exchanged quick glances.

"Well, the demon that killed the boy's mom is dead," Ellen said. The others nodded their approval.

"But…" Jo looked between the four people in front of her: her mom, sitting across from her; Bobby, leaned against the counter under the sink above the window to her left; John and Dean, leaned on either side of the open entryway, arms crossed; and Sam, facing the other window and staring out of it, lost in thought. Something was up, and she wanted to know.

"Well, there were a whole bunch of demons let out," Bobby said.

Jo nodded. "And?"

"And that's all we can tell you," Dean muttered, glaring at the other adults in the room, warning them not to speak about his_ problem_.

"Uh-huh…" Jo nodded again, taking another sip of her beer. "And the Roadhouse is gone?"

"Yep," Sam said, popping his mouth at pronouncing the last syllable.

"Great." Jo stared at the brown bottle in front of her. She tapped the glass for a long time while everyone sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts. "So, now what?"

"We fight," John answered. Pushing himself off the side of the entryway. He looked around the room. "Guess we start our research, huh?"

The others nodded, knowing exactly what they were looking for. Jo, on the other hand, sat in confusion. "Um, what are we looking for, exactly?"

"Any sign as to what was let out up there." Sam responded before anyone else could.

"Oh. Okay…" Jo stood, making her way towards Bobby's wall-lengthed bookcases. Noticing the vast amount of books gone from the shelves, she realized that maybe she wouldn't be needed. Chuckling to herself, she ventured up to her room, retrieved her brand new laptop and made her way back downstairs. As she did, she felt herself grimace at the loud voices.

"You should be focusing on those demons, Sammy, not me!" Dean's voice was booming, a little raspy, even.

"I _am_ focusing on the demons - just not the ones _you_ want me to!"

"Boys, seriously?" Ellen chimed in, and Jo thought she heard her mother press her hands on both man's chest, pushing them away from each other. Jo heard two distinct sighs, and as she made her way into the front room, she watched as each man went an opposite direction, slamming a door behind him.

"What was all that about?" Jo asked, her eyes glancing over the books each man had been looking at. While Dean's pile was full of books on footsoldier demons, Sam had multiple books open about crossroads demons. "I mean, if there were hundreds of demons released, why not focus on all of them?" She placed her laptop on the kitchen table and arched an eyebrow at the three remaining adults.

John sighed while Bobby shook his head. "Idjits," he muttered, taking another sip of beer. Jo glanced back at her mother.

"It's not my place to say." She looked down at the old, dusty book she had been looking at and continued to read.

"Well? What's the problem?" Jo looked pointedly at John.

"We can't tell you. Scout's honor," he smiled sadly.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You call me up here from celebrating my most difficult hunt so far just to keep me out of the loop? What is wrong with you guys? I'm here to help, not be treated like a child!" She sat herself down at the table. "And besides, you were never a Boy Scout, Uncle John. Don't play me."

John smiled again, this time reaching his eyes. "You're right about that. But I also need you to think. Use those investigative skills they taught you at Kent." He winked.

Joanna chuckled, realizing what he meant. Turning her computer on, she waited for it to load and glanced again at the books the boys were reading. Crossroads demons didn't necessarily need to run out of hell; they could stay as long as they wanted when someone summoned them. So, why was Sam looking at crossroads demons? Closing her eyes, she remembered the conversation with her mom a couple of weeks ago.

_"What's wrong, Mom?" Joanna held the receiver of her cell phone closer to her face. Her mom's soft sobs weren't too upsetting; she sounded like she did whenever a regular at the Roadhouse was dead. "Bobby didn't… die...Did he?"_

_"Oh, no," Ellen reassured her. "It wasn't Bobby."_

_"Well, then, who was it?" It certainly wasn't Gordon; her mom probably would have been calling her with screams of joy for that._

_After a few more moments of listening to her mother's quiet sobs, Joanna heard her whisper, "Sam."_

Jo's eyes flashed open again, glancing at the books scattered at Sam's spot. Getting up from her seat, she silently slipped out of the front room, patting John's shoulder in understanding. His own books reflected Sam's, and now she knew why.

xXx

Dean was sitting on the trunk of the Impala, swirling the amber-colored liquid in his tumbler. He'd been smart enough to pack a couple of carefully bubble-wrapped glasses over the years in case he ever needed a fix. He didn't mind the bottle, but he felt the same way obesity doctors did: portion it out, and you won't eat the whole thing. Or in this case, drink the whole bottle. The bottle of Jack that had been squished between a few other items in the false trunk had only strengthened over the years, and now he was regretting the amount he'd poured into his dusty glass that he'd cleaned with his dirty t-shirt. Dean Winchester could handle having his lip busted and not showering for days and having his face slammed into mud, but the one thing he couldn't handle was drinking precious alcohol from a dirty glass. It tainted the taste. He wasn't even aware of the petite blonde approaching him slowly with carefully measured steps as to not alarm him. Actually, it was so that she wouldn't run over to him and start beating the shit out of him. He looked up into the clear blue sky, wishing he could be like everyone else for a moment. There were only a few cumulus clouds in the sky, and the tall various species of trees that littered Bobby's land shot up into the air, reminding Dean of how miniscule he really was compared to everything else on a grander scheme.

Jo leaned against the side of the Impala, her back facing him. "How long did they give you?" Her voice was soft, innocent. Dean shuddered a little, the hairs on his arms slowing falling back into place as he realized the girl standing adjacent to him wasn't a threat.

He glanced down at his glass. "Sam tell you?"

"No. I figured it out on my own." Jo turned to him then. "I wasn't your normal major at Kent, Dean."

He snorted, smiling a little. "I know."

She was silent for a moment, watching him. At that very moment, Joanna realized just how old Dean Winchester was. Sure, he was only a few years older than her, but he'd had to grow up a lot faster than she or Sam did. She felt her face fall into a scowl as she studied him. He may've had striking features, but probably what caused her stomach to clench and feel a little too warm was the way he looked. _Old_. He'd seen a lot in his years of life, and though it hadn't been as much as the three middle-aged adults sitting in Bobby's house had, he was now facing something none of them had.

He was going to die for his brother to live.

"So, how long was it? Ten? Five?"

Dean stayed silent. Joanna thought she saw his eyes glass over, but they both blinked at the same time, and whatever she had seen was gone. She started to turn away when he spoke again, so soft she almost didn't hear it. "One."

Joanna blanched, feeling her knees give out. "_One_?"

It was barely a whisper.

Leaning on the Impala for support, she slowly pressed her back against it. Her triceps were shaking from the heavy pressure she was putting on them, but Jo didn't care. Sure, she'd been carrying a torch for Dean this whole time - a bright, flaming torch - but she had just thought that she'd get over it when she got the chance to meet other people. Now, with the knowledge that in a year Dean Winchester would be having his soul tortured endlessly in Hell, she wasn't so sure.

"Yep," Dean whispered, his voice cracking a little.

Joanna nodded, starting to fully comprehend what that meant. "Well, then."

"Yeah," was his only reply.

They stayed like that, each staring at something different, each having the same thoughts running through their heads.

"Hey, kids!" Bobby called from the porch. Joanna and Dean looked up at him. "I think I might have something for us!"

Both young adults got up, Dean leaving his glass on the trunk lid of the Impala. As they headed inside, Jo looked up at the sky. _Let's just hope we can fix everything_.

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><p><strong>Okay, so I hope it didn't seem too weird. Like I said before, I wanted to include Jo because I think she's adorable. <strong>

**So click review, please!**


	6. What If Jo Got Revenge on Gordon?

**So, I'm doing a lot of skipping - probably one or two chapters per season. I know, kinda confusing. I'm just going with the ones I liked the most and that I feel I can write about best. Sooooo, here's my next installment: my take on _Fresh Blood_. **

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><p>Somehow, Jo had found herself stuck in a room with Sam.<p>

It wasn't bad. Despite the whole possessed thing, it was clear that Sam would do anything to protect Jo, and he was truly sorry for his actions that weren't really his. Once understanding this, Jo was completely and utterly happy to join him and his brother for another hunt. Okay, maybe she hadn't been asked to join them, but she was more than happy to find her way to Albany after she overheard a few hunters talking in the bar she worked at about Kubrick breaking Gordon out and hunting the Winchesters with him and that they had pegged them at Albany. Jo had almost burst out laughing when her boss walked out of her small office next to the table the hunters had sat at with Jo's bag in hand.

"Go get 'em, tiger," she'd said with a knowing smirk on her face. Jo was glad to have a boss as cool as Dina; after much probing into Jo's personal life when she continually requested weekends - a bar's busiest time of the week - off. Finally, once Dina had seen the handle of Jo's gun sticking out from the waistband of her jeans, she had threatened to fire her and call the police for illegal possession of a firearm if Jo didn't tell her what was going on. Joanna, who relied heavily on her lucrative tips from working at the bar, relented and explained everything to Dina. Smiling, Dina had clapped her on the shoulder and told her that she needed more business, and any hunter Joanna came in contact with had an invitation to enjoy a couple of beers at her bar.

Jo had met Gordon Walker when she was a teenager. And, boy, had she acted like a teenager, alright. She made all the wrong decisions with him, and Jo figured the reason her mother hated him so much was because he was alongside Jo when she made all her bad decisions. Well, there were plenty of other reasons why her mother hated Gordon Walker, and some of them were bleeding to Jo.

The most recent was Gordon's determination to kill Sam.

Now, Joanna had originally been a little put off when she'd overheard her mother speaking with Dean - or Bobby, she wasn't sure - about Sam's "powers." At first, it made her wonder if he was human, and the hunter in her was screaming that something wasn't right. However, she had spent time with this man - this man that was just two years older than her - and she felt that it wasn't right for her to want to kill him. To want to hurt him. Sam Winchester had saved her before, and now it was her turn to save him from that damn bastard Gordon Walker.

Except for the fact that they were stuck in a room. With a rolled down door. That separated them from Dean.

_Dammit,_ Jo thought.

"Gordon! You got me right where you want me!" Sam called, flitting his hand out in the darkness, machete ready in his right hand. Jo trailed behind him, taking cautious steps in order to make sure that Gordon didn't see her.

_Shit_, she thought, barely managing to miss running into the wall directly to her left.

"Might as well come out and fight!" Sam's voice rang loud in the darkness, and Jo swore she saw Gordon step in between them for a brief second. Sam twirled around, the machete glinting in the pseudo-light created by Jo's eyes.

"I'm right here Sam," Gordon murmured, and it seemed as though he was right next to Jo. She instantly shied away to her left. If he really was a vampire, then chances were that he already knew she was there. Bracing herself against the wall, Jo watched in terror, waiting for the right moment.

She watched and listened as Sam and Gordon moved in circles - or, that was what she thought they were doing at least - and called each other out, taunting. Blinking and holding her eyes closed longer than she probably should have, Jo reached out and found herself a large cube of something, a crate of some sort, to crouch behind, hoping and praying that Gordon wouldn't find her. It was cowardly, really. Here she was, the infamous Joanna Beth Harvelle, all talk and no game. Closing her eyes tightly, she remembered the moments where she yelled at her mother that she could do it all on her own, that hunting was what she wanted, that she could handle it. But here she was, trembling in her boots as she crouched behind a crate that probably wouldn't shield her from Gordon's inhuman senses.

"We're the same now, you and me," she heard Gordon say. Squeezing her eyes shut tighter, Joanna prayed his voice wouldn't come any closer. Maybe he was going to use her as bait.

Not like it hasn't happened before. Only this time, Dean wouldn't be there to save her. _Why am I always the damn damsel in distress_? Her thoughts kept her fears at bay; she wasn't focusing on the fact that a bloodthirsty, vampiric Gordon was standing just mere inches away from the crate she was hidden behind. Instead, his eyes, which made everything red and black, were trained on the helpless looking wonderboy in front of him.

Sam braced himself against the corner of the room, knowing he'd been caught. Unless somehow Jo came to save him - which he doubted because he could no longer hear her almost-silent footfalls behind him - Sam was shit out of luck. He was vaguely aware of Gordon speaking some suicidal monologue, and then he was thrust through the wall. The loud crash made his ears ring, especially as he made contact with the floor.

The men wrestled for a while, and Jo slowly stood up, her eyes still closed. Praying silently that when she opened them everything would be okay, Joanna blocked out any noise as she gathered her thoughts. _What would your mother be doing if she were here right now, Jo_? Flashing her eyes open, she saw a very exhausted Sam trying his best to keep a disgruntled and angry Gordon from biting his head off. Noticing the machete lying unclaimed on the floor, Joanna gingerly laid her shotgun on the crate and stealthily made her way over to it. Sam, completely oblivious to her movements, reached for an old razor blade, but was taken by surprise when out of nowhere, his machete found itself slicing Gordon's head clean off his neck. Standing directly behind him was a seething Jo, chest rising and falling faster than it should have been.

xXx

John sat beside Ellen at a high top table in the bar where Jo worked, endlessly going over ways to help Dean.

"Why aren't you with the kids?" Ellen asked, taking a swig of her beer.

John shrugged. "The guys have been less weary of me being in their sights at all times. I think they've figured out that now that Azazel is gone, things might go a little easier."

"And I'm sure Sam has no problem leaving you wherever so that you can help to save Dean," Ellen added, arching an eyebrow at him.

John chuckled. "Well, no. In fact, I think he wants me to stay somewhere. I'm honestly half tempted to summon that damn demon and offer my own soul."

"I'll drink to that." Ellen held up her beer, tipping it towards John. He obliged, his short whiskey glass clinking with her tall, brown bottle. "The things we do for our children."

"Speaking of, how's everything going with Jo?"

It was Ellen's turn to chuckle. "Well, she loves it here. I hunt with her. I mainly live off Bill's and my retirement savings. Jo makes a good deal here with such an understanding boss like Dina. Speak of the devil."

Dina walked up to the two elders, flashing pearly white teeth. "Ya'll want another? This round's on the house."

"I'm good for right now, thanks," Ellen said. John nodded, and they watched Dina head over to another table and ask the same thing.

"She seems like a nice one," he noted.

"She is. Loves Jo to death." Ellen glanced down at John's papers. "You know, I wonder if we made the right decision."

"Which one?" John asked, not looking up from his research.

"The one where we chose to raise our kids in this mess."

He snorted. "You're asking the wrong asshat, lady."

"Oh, right. I forgot you were a horrible father."

"Well, I was." John looked up then, a smile cracked on his face. Instantly, he was reminded of when Mary was murdered, and how he decided to dedicate his life to avenging her death. Images of continuous moving and turmoil with his sons flashed through his mind at lightning speed. The most he remembered of the fighting was between himself and Sam, especially when Sam was about to graduate.

"Nah. You were just doing what you thought was the best at the time. Even if it really wasn't." She gave him a knowing smile and returned to her research.

xXx

Dean scrambled through the broken wall to find a kneeling headless Gordon, a shocked Sam, and an exhausted Jo. Glancing at the two other hunters, a smile of approval found its way onto his face. "Well, damn. Looks like I missed a lot."

Pulled out of his trance by his brother's voice, Sam turned his head to him. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just defending myself from a rabid female vampire, but it's no big deal." Dean watched Jo as she stayed immobile, staring in the direction of Gordon's detached head. "Okay, blondie, let's get you home." Cautiously, he moved his way over to her, prying her fingers off the machete. He handed it to Sam and carefully led her towards the exit.

Once outside, it seemed Joanna cleared from the fog she was under. Stumbling, she felt Dean catch her fall and lift her back up. Realizing what just occurred, when Jo tried to turn her head back to glance at the warehouse, Dean abruptly opened the back door to the Impala and eased her inside, slamming the door before she could scramble her way out. He and Sam jumped into their respective seats, and Dean roared Baby to life and sped away. "Oh my God. I just decapitated Gordon Walker."

"That you did, Jo."

"No, you don't understand. Half of my customers knew him. I'm going to lose - "

"You're not gonna lose anything, Jo," Sam murmured, turning in his seat to watch her. Even though it was dark, he could see she sat back in the Impala, up against the door with her knees pulled to her chest. Sam felt that she looked worse than when she had found out Bill had basically died because of his father.

"Seriously," she whispered, "you don't understand. The guys at the bar, they give me leads. They're Gordon's friends."

"Gordon had friends?" Dean quipped, glancing over his shoulder briefly to switch lanes on the highway. The speed limit sign posted that they briefly passed said "60" on it, and Jo leaned over to look at the speedometer: 85.

"About as many as you do," Jo muttered, sinking back farther into the seat as she met Dean's glare from the rearview.

"You act like you haven't killed anyone before, Jo."

"They weren't humans. They weren't - "

"Jo?" Sam suddenly asked, his voice tense.

"What?"

"You and Gordon weren't… Ya know… Um…?"

"Who wants to know?"

"Oh God," Dean hissed, glaring at her again.

Jo shrugged. "Both of you act like you have made the best choices when it comes to relationship partners."

Suddenly, the car quieted with a tense air that lasted the whole way to Duluth.

xXx

Duluth brought many bad memories to Sam. As he looked all around, flashbacks to brief moments he was awake flooded his mind. He remembered walking down alleyways, checking his reflection in the glass windows of street-lining buildings. Everything was a blur, though.

Until he found himself parked beside the bar, neon sign flashing "The Closer."

Swallowing hard, he pulled himself out of the passenger side of the Impala and joined his brother and Jo. Her duffel bag - the infamous leopard print Victoria's Secret bag that reminded him of Jessica's vast array of preppy accessories - was slung over her shoulder casually but with an air of fatigue. Glancing at her, Sam could almost feel the exhaustion radiating off of her. The countless hours-long drive had been draining on her. He knew Jo was used to being the one in control of the driving, but since Ellen had kept the Mazda for herself on Jo's escapade, Jo had been forced to deal with being cramped in the backseat of the Impala. Her blonde hair hung raggedly across her shoulders, which slumped awkwardly. Her worn-out jeans were crumpled just like her vintage wash t-shirt, and she tapped the toe of her left boot almost impatiently.

For a moment, the three hunters stood there in silence, not sure what to do next. Both men were anxious to greet their father, not knowing what type of craziness he'd stumbled upon in his research, and Jo really didn't want to face her boss. She was in no state to serve alcohol, and the hoard of hunters wanting the scoop on Jo Harvelle's fatal swipe of Gordon Walker was inevitable, but she didn't want to deal with it right then. "I'll go get your dad."

"No, we'll go with - " Dean started.

"Thanks, Jo. Tell your mom we said hi," Sam interjected, jamming his hands into his front pockets. Being in front of the bar gave him a bad feeling, and he sure as hell didn't want to go inside.

Jo nodded, understanding. "No problem. You guys be safe, yeah?"

Both men nodded.

Jo turned then, walking through the front door and up the stairs to the bar.

Dean turned to his brother. "What the hell was that about?"

"I don't want to be here," Sam shrugged, glancing at the sidewalk.

"Oh." Dean nodded then, realizing how much turmoil his brother must have been feeling. Dean was unaware of what it was like to be possessed, and he hoped he never would. From the way his brother was acting, it didn't seem enjoyable.

They stood there for a while in silence, awaiting their father. Soon, John came down the stairs with his two duffel bags in tow, a short black-haired woman following him close behind, a large smile on her face. Their father also had a smile on his face, and he glanced back at the woman, saying something low. It must have been funny, because her melodic laughter filtered through to the boys, who shared surprised glances.

"Thanks again, Dina," John said, putting his things in the false trunk.

She nodded, placing her hands on her hips, cocking her head to the side. A bar rag hung from her right hand, swaying softly in the light wind. "You come back and visit me now, you hear? I don't get many who have your sense of humor, old man."

"I guess we'll just have to see where the cards fall," John answered, closing the lid of the trunk.

Dina reached her arms out and he hugged her - a little bit longer than either of his sons liked.

He pulled back and turned to his boys. "Boys, this is Dina. She owns the bar."

"Hey," Dean and Sam responded, nodding at her.

"Nice to meet you guys. Ya'll must be pretty special if Jo would just run off like that to kick some vampiric ass. She talks about ya'll a lot. Something about never calling."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I think we should get going."

"Yeah," Sam agreed, moving his way to the backdoor.

"Oh! Of course! Go do what you guys do!" Dina exclaimed, signaling with her hands for them to shoo. "Besides, I have a mani-pedi date with one of my girls. See ya'll around!" She turned, heading inside.

The three men clambered into the Impala, neither son asking their father what transpired. As Dean pulled his car out of the parking spot, Sam turned back to the bar, watching as Dina animatedly spoke with another woman. When she turned her head to look out of the window, Sam instantly recognized the face.

Ruby.

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><p><strong>So, this one was significantly shorter. Oh well. And, I kinda created my own way of introducing Ruby here, because I wasn't planning on writing any of the earlier chapters. Plus, I wanted to create my own OC, and I thought Dina would be cool considering I had her be so nonchalant about the whole supernatural thing with Jo. <strong>

**The Supernatural wikia says that Jo and Gordon had a thing, so I thought it would be perfect if she killed him... and then freaked out because she did. So that's why she's here. Duh. **

**Anyways, leave a review! **

**(Oh, and the next chapter skips right into Season 4. Just a heads up. Because I've been aching to get to Season 5 for this fic. And you'll find out why.) **


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